A committee tasked with scrutinising the Federal Government's much-criticised biosecurity protection levy has made one recommendation, that the Senate endorse the legislation.
This is despite ongoing opposition from groups such as Grain Producers Australia and the committee's extensive report recognising and discussing key issues with the bills.
The Weekly Times reported that the Labor-heavy rural and regional affairs and transport legislation committee recommendation would have the Senate vote on May 14 for the levy to come into affect on July 1.
Grain Producers Australia chair Barry Large said the report’s mention that primary producers don’t directly contribute to biosecurity funding was “deeply concerning”.
“This sort of misleading commentary was especially infuriating when producers know they’re already contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in multiple levies – including emergency responses such as Varroa – and make other direct costs to manage biosecurity on our own farms," he said.
“The simple truth is obvious – the lack of buy-in from producers due to the nondisclosure of the levy in the initial design process is the reason why this policy is deeply flawed and so strongly opposed."
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